Plans for a residential subdivision in Wolumla have been approved. Photo: Wolumla Valley Estate.
The Southern Regional Planning Panel has approved a 136-lot residential subdivision in Wolumla and the developer of the Wolumla Valley Estate, Craig Junor, said he was keen to see the engineering work and land release begin.
Mr Junor said now approval had been received he would be proceeding straight away.
The site comprises an area of about 69.2 hectares. It has frontages to Scott Street/Candelo-Wolumla Road (north), Ferndale Lane (west), Bega Street (east) and Mine Lane (east/southeast).
“We were pushing for something with more open space but council didn’t want too much to maintain. However we’re still delivering something that’s a high standard,” Mr Junor said.
“It’s been quite a painful process and taken about five years. It’s very frustrating when you have local and state governments saying how much housing is needed,” he said.
It became so frustrating that earlier this year, Mr Junor decided to “test the water” and put the site on the market with expressions of interest closing in August.
“I was prepared to walk away particularly over the open space issue because that’s my background.”
Although there was interest, some of it “wasn’t conducive” to progressing the development, he said and has decided to do the work to make the development happen.
“We’re committed to engineering and construction and we’ll be engaging a local agent to sell the land,” he said.
“We’ll be starting engineering drawings straight away and will get them to council by December. Then it’s in their hands.”
Mr Junor said the 136-lot subdivision would be progressed in small stages. The land was purchased from developer Alan Woodstock, who still retains 45 blocks, close to the main road through Wolumla. Complications over easements for utilities, going across both developments meant titles were not able to be issued to purchasers of the Woodstock land.
Gavin Law bought a block on the Woodstock development almost five years ago. For several years he lived in his caravan hoping to start work on his new home. In 2024 he purchased a home in Merimbula.
“I was sick of living in a caravan,” Mr Law said, but he still has the block in Wolumla on the Woodstock development.
“What do we do to get this moving? I’ve got a block with services, I just need a title and then have it registered.”
Mr Woodstock said he felt guilty about the delays but had tried to get the easement issues resolved, without success. “It wasn’t my fault,” he said. He is hopeful that the problem may be resolved soon.
The approval of the Wolumla Valley Estate may end up being a catalyst for the resolution of the easement issue as both developments need access to key utilities.
Mr Woodstock said an easement relating to bushfire management had been completed with a turnaround circle for trucks and there was just the matter of a power easement to be concluded.
Mr Junor said that on his development he wouldn’t be releasing blocks until he knew they could progress.
“I don’t need to sell blocks (off the plan) to get approval for funding, I’m self-funded and I won’t release them until I’m confident they can progress,” Mr Junor said.
He said he expected to be starting earthworks early next year but reiterated it was in the hands of council.
The Wolumla development has been approved as a concept plan for the staged delivery of about 391 variably sized residential allotments, including one allotment for commercial development and six allotments for the delivery of water sensitive urban design infrastructure and public open space.
Bega Valley Shire Mayor Russell Fitzpatrick said there had been a special variation, just for this subdivision, to allow blocks down to 450 square metres, along with multi-dwellings and a mix of sizes. Access will be provided via Ferndale Lane.
As part of the approval each lot will have individual connections to water, sewerage, stormwater, electricity and telecommunications networks. Cr Fitzpatrick said the current sewer system could handle the expansion of the stage one development.
The approval does not grant consent to stages two to 10 detailed on the concept subdivision plan and the subdivision of these stages will require a detailed proposal in a subsequent development application.
Bega Valley Shire Council will be discussing the proposed south Bega subdivision later this month. Following exhibition there were 137 responses from the public, with a majority concerned about the proximity of the Bega Saleyards to a potential housing subdivision.
Council staff said that the scale, location, design and timing of future developments were not known and the council was currently undertaking planning work that may influence the future operation of the saleyards.
Cr Fitzpatrick has previously commented that the current infrastructure was ageing and needed to be assessed against today’s standards for animal welfare, biosecurity, environmental management and efficient operations.
“If we want the saleyards to continue operating well into the future, we need to take a planned, long-term approach to maintaining and improving the facility, rather than considering projects one at a time. Having these plans in place will also put council in a much stronger position to secure state and federal funding to deliver future improvements,” Cr Fitzpatrick said.
Staff suggested land use interactions could be more appropriately assessed when more detailed information became available.
The options for councillors are to support the rezoning, with some or all amendments; support it as exhibited; make other changes or not support it. However staff have cautioned that significant changes to the planning proposal may trigger new studies, approval processes and/or community consultation.
The south Bega rezoning is expected to be a longer term development with timelines potentially stretching out 10 or up to 30 years.
